Gluten Free Meals Ready Made/ Gluten Free Meal Delivery

Most Americans are touched by celiac disease in some way, yet so much confusion still abounds. Celiac or gluten intolerance as it is sometimes referred to, is a disease that results when the body has a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats.

Celiac disease can affect people at all stages of life.  People who are newly diagnosed with gluten intolerance and even those who have been living with it for years can find it a challenge, if not overwhelming, to maintain the lifestyle and dietary changes necessary to manage their condition.

I have found that gluten free meals require a great deal of research and time. What takes most people 30 minutes in the grocery store can easily take me an hour. Even though more and more gluten free products are showing up on the grocery store shelves, I still have to visit several stores to buy everything I need or order from online sources.

Menus the gluten free way require careful planning and is often time consuming.  Consequently, I find myself not varying our menus as much as I would like to, because, change requires research and time, and I am a very busy person.

Frankly, I tend to stick with the tried and true menu as I know it is safe.  Dining with friends and family can also present food challenges as often they are unschooled in what is,  and isn’t,  gluten free.

I have found a wonderful option online that has truly revolutionized the way I cook for my family.  When I can’t think of what I want to cook, or when I am running late from work I just pull one of the gfmeals out of the freezer, confident that they have been carefully prepared and are gluten free.

Many of their gluten free meals are also Soy and casein free for those of you who suffer with multiple food allergies.

I have even brought gfmeals with me when dining at the homes of friends’ or family just to ensure that I eat safe food. That way I don’t have to worry about being accidentally  “glutened.”

The gfmeals meal plans were created by people living the gluten free lifestyle and know what it’s like to be affected by gluten.

Gluten Free Meals and Meal Plans will:

• Meet your healthy gluten free lifestyle needs.

• Provide you with safe gluten free meals with no planning or preparation required.

• Offer a variety of tasty, healthy and nutritious food choices; family-friendly, ready-to-cook entrees, sides and even gluten free bakery goods.

• Affordability, convenience, and home delivery.

• Ship nationwide, meals arrive frozen with easy to follow cooking instructions.

They also offer gift Certificates which are perfect for any occasion.   Give to the family member, friend or client who lives the gluten free lifestyle.

Click here to visit gfMeals.com

2009 Copyright http://Glutenfreebreadworld.com

Gluten Free Meals Ready Made/Gluten Free Meal Delivery

Gluten Free Bread/Gluten Free Bread Alternative Flours

This is a list that I had copied to my computer. I did not keep the accompanying info because this was the info I was after. When I was trying to make substitutions I never knew what to substitute and therefore had a lot of flops. When I read this info I copied it (because I was unable to keep it straight in my head), I added pictures so I would know what to look for when shopping. Now,  I share it with you,  with a full disclosure that I did not write any part of this and I would like to credit the person who wrote it if you know who they are.

Potato Starch / Flour  

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This is a gluten free thickening agent that is perfect for cream-based soups and sauces and in combination with other flours in gluten free bread all purpose flour mixes. Mix a little with water first, then substitute potato starch flour for flour in your recipe, but cut the amount in half when substituting for wheat flour. It can be purchased in a health food store.

Tapioca Starch / Flour  click on photo to learn more:

A light white, very smooth flour. It makes baked goods impart a nice chewy taste. Use it in recipes where a chewy texture would be desirable. It would work nicely in bread recipes such as white bread or French bread. It is also easily combined with cornstarch and soy flour. It can be purchased in a health food store.

Soy Flour   click on photo to learn more:

This nutty tasting flour has a high protein and fat content. It is best when used in combination with other flours and for baking brownies, or any baked goods with nuts or fruit. It can be purchased in a health food store.

Cornstarch  click on photo to learn more:

This is a refined starch that comes from corn. It is mostly used as a clear thickening agent for puddings, fruit sauces and Asian cooking. It is also used in combination with other flours for baking. It can be purchased in a health food store.

Corn Flour 

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This flour is milled from corn and can be blended with cornmeal to make cornbread or muffins. It is excellent for waffles or pancakes. It can be purchased in a health food store.

Cornmeal

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This is ground corn that comes from either yellow or white meal. This is often combined with flours for baking. It imparts a strong corn flavor that is delicious in pancakes, waffles, or simple white cakes. It can be purchased in a health food store.

White Rice Flour

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This is excellent basic flour for gluten free baking. It is milled from polished white rice. Because it has such a bland flavor, it is perfect for baking, as it doesn’t impart any flavors. It works well with other flours. White rice flour is available in most health food stores, but also in Asian markets. At the Asian markets it is sold in different textures. The one that works the best is called fine textured white rice flour.

Brown Rice Flour

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This flour comes from unpolished brown rice. It has more food value because it contains bran. Use it in breads, muffins, and cookies. It can be purchased in a health food store.

Quinoa Flour 

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Quinoa is pronounced “Keen Wa” and it’s actually a South American word. This grain is a real gem in the gluten free diet because it’s protein rich. It can be purchased in a health food store.

T’eff Flour  click on photo to learn more:

Teff is a very versatile grain. None of the nutrients are lost when it is ground into flour.  Teff flour can be used as a substitute for part of the flour in baked goods, or the grains added uncooked or substituted for part of the seeds, nuts, or other small grains. Due to it’s small size, only 1/2 Cup of Teff is needed to replace 1 cup of sesame seeds. It is a good thickener for soups, stews, gravies, and puddings and can also be used in stir-fry dishes, and casseroles.

Coconut Flour 

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A delicious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates, and a good source of protein. It gives baked goods a rich, springy texture but needs a lot more liquid than other flours. Replace up to 20 percent of the all-purpose flour called for in a recipe with coconut flour, adding an equivalent amount of additional liquid to the recipe. You will not need as much sugar when using this flour as the coconut has a natural sweetness.

Sorghum Flour  click on photo to learn more:

sorghum is an annual grass originating in Africa and a popular cereal crop worldwide. It has a higher protein content than corn and about equal to wheat. It is neutral in flavor, which allows it to absorb other flavors well.

Almond Meal /Flour click on photo to learn more:

Made by grinding blanched almonds (skins removed) into a fine powder. The consistency is more like corn meal than wheat flour. You can find extra fine Italian almond flour, which has more flavor but can be very pricey. Baking with almond flour requires using more eggs to provide more structure. Use it in cakes, cookies, and other sweet baked goods. You can make it yourself by grinding blanched almonds in a high-speed blender.

Substituting Gluten

Wheat flour contains gluten, which keeps cookies, cakes and pies from getting crumbly and falling apart. It is what makes baked goods have a good texture because it traps pockets of air. This creates a lovely airy quality that most baked goods possess when baked with traditional wheat flour. In order to help retain this structure when using non-wheat flours, gluten substitutes must be added to a gluten-free flour mixture. For each cup of gluten-free flour mix, add at least 1 teaspoon of gluten substitute. Here are three very good substitutes for gluten.

• Xanthan Gum click on photo to learn more:
  

  This comes from the dried cell coat of a microorganism called Zanthomonas campestris. It is formulated in a laboratory setting. This works well as a gluten substitution in yeast breads along with other baked goods. You can purchase it in health food stores.

• Guar Gum click on photo to learn more: This is a powder that comes from the seed of the plant Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. It is an excellent gluten substitute and it is available in health food stores.

• Pre-gel Starch/Xanthan Gum
  

  This is an acceptable gluten substitute. It helps keep baked goods from being too crumbly. This too can be purchased at most health food stores.

Substitution is the solution

If you are ready to try some recipes, start with recipes that use relatively small amounts of wheat flour like brownies or pancakes. These turn out lovely and the difference in taste is minimal. Here are two gluten-free flour mixtures that are suitable for substituting wheat flour cup for cup.

1. Gluten-Free Flour Mixture I

   1/4 cup soy flour
   1/4 cup tapioca flour
   1/2 cup brown rice flour

1. Gluten-Free Flour Mixture II

   6 cups white rice flour
   2 cups potato starch
   1 cup tapioca flour

The above mixtures can be doubled or tripled. Another option is to purchase a gluten-free flour mixture at a health food store to avoid the guesswork involved in substitutions. This flour mixture can usually substitute wheat flour cup for cup, but read the package directions to be sure. Keep these flour mixtures stored in containers at room temperature and keep them on hand to simplify your baking routine.

Gluten Free Bread/Gluten Free Article

People with diagnosed celiac disease and many who choose to live the gluten free life avoid eating wheat, rye, or barley whenever possible. All three grains contain the protein gluten, unhealthy for the Celiac. A few years ago, this diagnosis meant a life of restriction; eating no bread, and no pasta. Now we can eat all of these, thanks to the profusion of new gluten free products.

In not quite 1 percent of Americans, consuming gluten damages the small intestine and impairs its ability to absorb nutrients. For such people, whose condition is known as celiac disease, doctors prescribe a gluten free diet. Some allergies can be excruciatingly painful or even fatal. Sometimes it is a case of ignorance but too often there is condescending annoyance, especially in the food world.  For many others the gluten free lifestyle is a choice. In fact, surveys show that about 15 to 25 percent of consumers report looking for gluten free products.

For those who have a clear medical need for gluten free products, the surge in options is a boon. To me gluten free food used to taste like sawdust. Now, tasty options abound. According to research, the number of newly introduced gluten free products has skyrocketed from about 135 in 2003 to 832 that debuted in 2008, and the forecast is for steady growth in gluten free product sales in coming years to reach 15-to-25-percent.

THE GLUTEN FREE PANTRY makes shopping for flour for baking your own gluten free bread; pre-packaged foods; and gluten free kitchens “must haves” or cook books just a click away. At one time, I could spend hours searching all over town to find a gluten free product that I had read about in an article or saw in a recipe and most of the time to no avail. THE PANTRY brings all of it right to your doorstep.

For people who have Celiac disease, the plethora of new products makes adhering to doctor’s orders easier. Following a strict gluten free diet allows their small intestines to recover and significantly extends their lifespan. Chronic health problems such as osteoporosis or intestinal cancer, and less chronic health problems such as vitamin deficiencies often plague those who follow a normal diet.

While awareness of celiac disease is rising, most people who have it—perhaps 95 percent of them—don’t realize it. Even people who do have symptoms—often diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating—may have a hard time getting diagnosed; the average delay is 11 years, (it took 12 for me,) and doctors often misdiagnose celiac disease as irritable bowel syndrome, unrelated anemia, or stress. Going gluten free without consulting a doctor is discouraged, since it further raises the likelihood of misdiagnosis.

To make matters more complicated, some people who test negative for celiac disease nevertheless seem to feel better when they go gluten free. As much as 15 percent of the population may fit into this category, which doctors call “gluten sensitivity.”   Unfortunately large pockets of the food world still treat food allergies and intolerance’s as a fad.

2009 copyright http://glutenfreebreadworld.com

Gluten Free Bread/Gluten Free Article

Gluten Free Bread/Article

This is my very first actual post. Please be patient as I am still learning my way around the blog world.  I will be getting links set up shortly so come back often and check out my progress.

Here you will learn about gluten free bread recipes (bread is a loosely used word on this blog) and some other interesting and delectable recipes will be added from time to time. You will see tips on how to prepare gluten free bread recipes in your home as well as other helpful information surrounding this subject.

I am looking for additional input regarding gluten free bread recipes especially for each holiday and for every other day of the year.  Lets improve our living,  one gluten free bread recipe at a time. Feel free to share your experiences and recipes in the comment section.

Since my diagnosis of celiac disease I have scoured blogs and other gluten free websites in search of gluten free bread recipes as well as combed through books at the local library and even stole some of my friends recipes as well as tweaked some of our family heirloom recipes. You will find the culmination of my searches here on my blog.

I have adapted some of the recipes and because I was only looking for recipes to try I did not always note where they came from and who posted them. After all of this time some of them are so badly stained with flour, cooking oil or other nameless ingredients that I can hardly make out my own writing.

It is not my intention to “steal another s’ works” so I apologize to the originators of the recipes if I do not give them the credit they deserve. It was their unselfish giving that got me through the painstaking trials of living gluten free. If you know to whom the credit is due on any of the recipes or articles not cited, please feel free to contact me.

Bread is the one thing that I knew I would miss the most living the gluten free lifestyle and that is what has brought me to my very first blog.

Speaking of Firsts:

What was your FIRST job?

What was your FIRST car?

Who was your FIRST grade teacher?

Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?

Who was your FIRST best friend, and are you still friends?

Who was your FIRST kiss?

Who was your FIRST date?

I digress…..onward and upward into Gluten Free Bread world.

2009 copyright http://Glutenfreebreadworld.com

Gluten free bread/Article